


Trick or Treat

by theundeadsiren (rhoen)



Category: In the Flesh (TV)
Genre: Attempted Fluff, Failed Fluff, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Light-Hearted, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-31
Updated: 2015-10-31
Packaged: 2018-04-29 03:05:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5113772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhoen/pseuds/theundeadsiren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rick and Kieren get ready to take Jem out trick-or-treating.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trick or Treat

**Author's Note:**

> Their costumes are as follows: Jem is Sally, Kieren is Jack Skellington, and Rick is Oogie Boogie.
> 
> An anon wanted something Halloween-y. I hope this will do.

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Thank you for respecting my wishes.

* * *

 

Kieren still couldn’t believe that Rick is not only doing this, but he was even grinning about it. He was also shifting around and flapping his arms in what Kieren supposed Rick assumed was a rhythmic manner or, god forbid, a dance, but just made it even harder for Kieren to do the zipper up. Kieren wondered if he should smack his friend over the head and tell him to quit it, but despite trying to hang onto his annoyance, Kieren enjoyed Rick’s good mood. It was the zipper on the home-made costume that was more frustrating, as it seemed to insist on catching every few inches.

“Rick,” Kieren said, desperately hoping it didn’t come across as whiny. “Stop fidgeting.”

Rick stopped, for a moment, at least, and Kieren muttered to himself as he attempted to force the zip past another catch, cursing. “Stupid bloody thing.”

It finally moved, doing all the way up.

“Am I done?” Rick asked, twisting slightly.

“You’re done,” Kieren confirmed, stepping back so Rick could turn around without causing him any damage with his padded bulk. Rick grinned, and reached to sort the hood out, pulling it over his head with difficulty due to his limited dexterity. When he finally got it on and it fell in place, covering his face, he actually chuckled.

“This is awesome,” he said excitably. “How do I look?”

Rick flapped his arms about again and shifted towards Kieren, who stopped the advance with a firm hand on Rick’s padded chest, trying to ignore the cackling noise his best friend was making.

“It suits you.” The remark was supposed to be on the mocking side, but Rick was in too good of a mood to notice, or care. Kieren gave a half-exasperated, half-amused sigh, and stepped back. His own costume wasn’t entirely complete, and as he glanced at the clock, his stomach tightened as he realised how little time there was.

“Come on,” he urged. “Do you want me to help you out of that, or are you going to keep it on?”

Rick pushed the hood back, still smiling. Kieren didn’t think someone their age could be this excited about Halloween. It was endearing. Seeing Rick unrestricted and carefree enough to enjoy something like this was a rarity, and for a moment Kieren completely forgot his anxiety over how pressed for time they were. He was glad they were doing this. Trick-or-treating was something the Macys – or, rather, Bill – wouldn’t allow. It was immoral, un-Christian, and ‘too American’ for Rick to have been allowed to indulge in while growing up. Seeing his friend finally enjoying something he’d never experienced before made something in Kieren’s heart swell, and for a moment if felt like tears threatened.

“I think I’ll keep it on,” Rick said, his words gently bringing Kieren back to what they were supposed to be doing. “Shall we go see how they’re getting on?”

“Oh, yeah…” Kieren nodded, remembering himself. He looked down at his own costume and the neat pinstriped suit. His mum had some old sheets that would protect his clothing from the makeup – there was no way he was going to try and pull garments on once he had all that paint on his face – and all that would be left to do after the makeup was to affix the collar. Excitement and nervousness built as Kieren realised just fun this was going to be. He and Rick were Jem’s chaperones, really, but the three of them were going to make an incredible team.

Kieren led the way to the kitchen, Rick stumbling behind him as he got used to the restrictive costume, where his mum was applying the finishing touches to Jem’s makeup and costume, completely transforming her. Kieren gave a dramatic gasp when he saw his little sister.

“Wow! Who’s this?”

“Oi, where’s Jem?” Rick asked, peering round Kieren and playing along. “Sue have you seen Jem?”

Although, at eleven, she was getting a bit old for it, Jem giggled at the two of them. Sue beamed, obviously proud of her work.

“It’s me, sillies!”

“Never!” Rick scoffed, “Jem’s all pink and alive.”

He shuffled past Kieren, grinning at Jem, who was clearly impatient to be out of her seat. She had to sit where she, though, was until Sue finished applying makeup to the exposed skin on her hand, matching it to the bluish-white colour of the skin-tight sleeves which had been dyed and decorated for the costume – there was no way Jem was allowed out at this time of year with her arms exposed, even if it was unseasonably warm.

“You look amazing, Jem,” Kieren said sincerely. Rick was gently swishing at Jem’s long reddish-brown wig, and she didn’t seem to mind at all.

“Is mum going to do your face next?” Jem asked, seeming a little concerned that her brother wasn’t completely ready yet.

“When I’m finished with you,” Sue answered for Kieren. “Other hand.”

Jem followed the prompt, but her attention was on Rick. She twisted in her seat to look up at him.

“Put the head on?”

He complied, managing a little easier the second time round. As he put it roughly into place, his whole face covered, he suddenly lunged at Jem.

“Oogie Boogie!”

She shrieked in delight, and Sue ended up with some of the blue paint she was applying to Jem’s hand landing up on her own skin. Kieren shared an amused, if a little exasperated, glance with his mum, before she got on with the task, and a chuckling Rick made use of the limited space he had to do a very weird dance. Kieren was trying to be more mature, but couldn’t hold back the laughter. Rick looked ridiculous. Jem obviously thought he was entertaining, as she sat giggling until Sue released her, and she made a beeline for Rick.

“Jem!” Sue called out sternly. Kieren took his place in the seat Jem had just vacated, watching to see if there would be a disaster. Thankfully, Jem stopped short of throwing herself at or grabbing Rick.

“Don’t get any makeup on Rick’s costume, love,” Sue warned.

“I wasn’t going to,” Jem insisted, but her movement made it clear she was aborting whatever plan she’d had. Her attention went back to Rick. “Can you see in that?”

“Yeah,” Rick answered, bending down a little so he was on her level. “See this meshy bit here?”

Kieren listened to the two of them as he adjusted the makeshift protective cape around his shoulders and leant forward slightly to make it easier for his mum to start applying the makeup. Rick and Jem’s excitable chatter filled the background, and when the two of them eventually went to turn on the pumpkin lights in the living room, Sue glanced after them, smiling.

“I think Rick needs a chaperone too.”

Kieren gave a short laugh. “Yeah, he does.” He fell silent for a moment, before speaking sincerely. “Thanks for doing this for us, mum.”

“You’re welcome,” Sue replied.

There was nothing else for Kieren to say, so he sat patiently until his mum was done. The collar piece was sat next to the microwave, and Sue fetched it for him and helped attach it. As she was doing so, Kieren heard the front door as his dad came home, and a moment later his dad’s voice could be heard from the living room as he greeted Jem and Rick.

“Be back by eight,” Sue reminded Kieren when the two of them were done. Moving towards the kitchen, Kieren gathered Jem’s trick-or-treating bucket. “And don’t let her eat everything before you get home.”

“I won’t, mum,” he promised, tentatively touching the protruding collar piece. He needed to check his reflection in the hall mirror before they went.

“Just a few sweets. And don’t go too far. You two can’t leave her and go wondering off on your own, okay?”

“We won’t, don’t worry,” Kieren nodded, letting his mum go through the protective parent routine. They were in Roarton. Nothing ever happened. If Jem weren’t so shy and had a few friends it would be completely safe for her to go out on her own to meet them.

“Right, let’s get your dad to take a photo before you go.”

In the living room, Kieren was greeted by an enthusiastic Jem, and a bemused Steve.

“You’re looking a bit pale,” his dad tried to joke.

“He’s a skeleton,” Jem pointed out.

“Right, um, splendid!” Steve decided. Kieren stifled a laugh at his dad’s cluelessness, and glanced at Rick, but he couldn’t tell what Rick made of the exchange, as he still had the hood over his head and was swaying side to side like some bizarre demonic pillowcase, seemingly affected by something other than the familial exchange.

“Let’s get a photo of you together,” Sue suggested. “Steve?”

Barely in from work, Kieren’s dad made his way over to the computer desk to dig out the camera. While they waited, Kieren handed the bucket to Jem, and Rick thankfully stopped fidgeting.

“You’ll be needing this,” he smiled, wondering if the expression came across, or just looked unnerving. He wanted to check the mirror, but supposed it would have to wait a minute or two.

Finally, his dad returned with the camera, and ten minutes later, the three of them could finally leave the house. The nervous excitement that had manifest as anxiety quickly faded in the cool night air as Kieren walked on one side of Jem, Rick on the other. In his opinion, they all looked amazing. Jem was clearly excited, and accompanied by the two of them, she seemed more confident. It made Kieren wonder if taking drama at high school would bring her out of her shell.

Both he and Jem were completely unafraid of the first door they arrived at, so Kieren and Rick hung back, letting Jem take the lead. She rang the bell, a hint of nervousness evident as she clasped her hands in front of her, holding the bucket tightly. Still, when Maggie Burton answered the door, she didn’t hesitate.

“Trick or treat!”


End file.
